Vaporizer



Patented June 1, 1943 VAPORIZER QJoy B. Schmitt, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to The De Vilbiss Company, Toledo, Ohio, a. corporation of Ohio Application January 4, 1941, Serial-No. 373,098

4 Claims. (01. 21-121) to facilitate as much as possible the discharge of the medicament. Consequently, practically all of the medicinal material is rapidly volatilized and after the short initial period during which a strong concentration flows from the vaporizer little medicine is carried by the steam. As doctors usually prefer that treatment be extended over a period of fifteen minutes or more, in order that it be efl'ective for this length of time medicine must be added to the medicine receptacle of such devices at several points during the treatment. The design of my vaporizer restricts the escape of the medicinal vapor and its discharge is thereby extended over a longer time.

Another object of this invention is to provide adjustable means for varying the rate-of discharge of the medicinal vapor making it possible thereby to shorten or lengthen the treatment to any desired time interval.

These and various other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an electric vaporizer embodying my invention with the base part in section and the upper part having a cut-away portion.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of a section of the upper portion of the vaporizer illustrating a modified form of the medicine container.

Fig. 3 is a view taken from below of the medicine container shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of a section of the upper portion of the vaporizer with a secondable bolt 5 is threaded through plate 28 to hold the electrical unit 4 against the bottom of receptacle I. The vaporizer is mounted on legs 26 fastened to the bottom wall 21. The bail 6 is provided for carrying the vaporizer. Lid .1 is a cover for the receptacle and carries the outlet spout 8. The inverted cup 9, held by rivet ll contains cotton I0 which holds the medicine.

The cotton is quite loosely packed into the cup and is retained there by its contact with the side walls.- Medicine may be poured upon the cotton from a bottle or applied by a dropper while the cover and cup are held in inverted position.

In the operation of the device water is put into the receptacle l and heated to a Point where steam is continuously generated. This rises from the water and passes through the spout 8. The heat of the steam passing around cup 9 isinclined to volatilize the medicine held by the cotton III. This volatilized medicine can only escape from the cup 9 downwardly thru the bottom opening.

The steam rising from the, water seems to interfere with the downward movement of the medicated vapor from cup 9 and the discharge of volatilized medicine from the vaporizer is thereby made more gradual. In other Vaporizers, the steam either passes through the medicated cotton or the opening of the medicine container is at the top and the vaporized .medicine flows freely therefrom. a

In Fig. 2 the cup 22 for holding medicated cotton has an opening 23 in its side. facing the spout 8. By adjustment of the collar 24 (its bottom edge is fluted to facilitate turning) this opening may be partially or completely covered. When it is completely covered the medicine escapes only from the bottom opening of the cup at substantially the same rate that it flows from cup 9. When the opening 23 is uncovered steam may pass thru the medicated cotton held in cup 22. With this arrangement medicine is more rapidly discharged as it may flow through opening 23 with less resistance than it meets in flowing downwardly through the bottom opening of the cup.

In Fig. 4 is shown a second variation in which the cup l2 has a skirt portion I3. In this skirt is an opening I6 (see Figures 5 and 6). This cup also has an opening I5 comparable to opening 23,

\ in cup 22. A bell shaped cover ll has a skirt portion 29. In the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5 this skirt covers and seals the opening [6. In this same position an opening 2| in the side of arising from the water must pass through the medicated cotton in cup I! as there is no communication between the water receptacle i and the spout 8 other than through the cup i2 and the port formed. by openings it and it due to the fact that with the opening it in skirt It closed this skirt completely cuts oil. the space surrounding the cup.

The cover II is rotatably mounted over cup i2 and maybe turned by means of knob ll. Its

movement is limited however by the downwardly projecting button I! in the skirt I! 01 cover I]. This button extends into opening it or skirt it of cup i2 and acts as a stop when it meets the ends or opening I. In skirt II of the cover I! is an opening 2| which is sealed by the undera,sso,eea

cover I'I- is in register with opening II. Steam ciiic forms without departing from the spirit or.

essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the 1 following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

l. Ina vaporizer, a water receptacle, heating means associated with the receptacle for converting water into steam, a cover for the receptacle, an opening in the cover for the discharge into the atmosphere of the steam, a container for the medicine to be vaporized and discharged with lying skirt ll of the cup i! in the positionof the cover i'l shown in Figs. 4 and 5. when the cover I! is moved counter clock-wise from this position to the limit of its movement this opening 2! lies over opening it and therebyafiords direct communication for the steam between the water receptacle and the spout. In this position the opening II on the cup and the opening ii in the cover are not in register. This position is illustrated in Fig. 6. The functioning of the vaporizer with this adjustment is similar to that of the vaporizer with cup I or with cup 22 when the opening 23 is closed.

It will be apparent that the primary purpose of my invention-to provide means for extending over a longer period the volatilization oi! a charge of medicine placed in an electrical vaporizer-is secured through the use or an inverted cup for holding the medicine such as described and shown herein, This desirable result seems to be due to the resistance 0! the steam rising from the water to the downwardmovement out of the cup of the medicinal vapor. While cotton is preferred for holding the liquid within the cup..other means, such as i'elt or an annular trough, may be as satisfactory.

Another purpose or this invention-to enable the rate 01' discharge of the medicated vapor to be selectively adjusted to conform with the needs of the p tient to be treated-is obtained by the provision of a,secondary outlet opening in the upper portion of the inverted cup, the size of the steam supported within the receptacle above the water, and an outlet from the medicine container for the medicinal vapor directed downwardly toward the surface or the water, suflicient space being provided within the receptacle to form a path exteriorly of the medicine container for the steam to use in reaching the discharge opening in the receptacle cover.

. 2. In a vaporizer, a base, a water receptacle mounted thereon, a steam generatingheater associated with the water receptacle, a cover for the receptacle, an outlet spout projecting from the cover, and an inverted cup-like member attached to and depending from the cover with its open end facing downwardly, sumcien't space being provided within the receptacle on the outside of the cup member to afford a path for the steam to the outlet spout.

3. A steam vaporizer including a steam dis-- charge opening at the top, steam generating means spaced below the opening and a chamber with a closed top portion, located adjacent the path of the steam to the discharge opening, for medicine to be volatilized by the steam and carried with it, the outlet 'of the chamber lacing downwardly in opposition to the upward travel of the steam.

4. In a vaporizer, a water receptacle, heating means associated with the receptacle for conreceptacle, sufllcient space being provided within the receptacle along the outside of the container to permit the steam to reach the discharge opening without passing through the container.

' JOY B. SCHMITT. 

